Signal Staff Writer
bcharles@the-signal.com
Posted: Sept. 21, 2009 10:21 p.m.
Castaic Area Town Council members claimed bias following Monday night's meeting on annexation when a city-hired consultant claimed that annexing Castaic was not feasible given its current boundaries.
"The bottom line is Castaic as drawn is not feasible to annex into the city," said Beverly Burr, President of Burr Consulting.
Burr presented the annexation fiscal analysis and the governance alternatives comparison report at Rancho Pico Junior High on Monday night in Stevenson Ranch.
Burr's analysis shows that Castaic will cost the city $1 million in tax alimony payments paid the county for revenues lost if Castaic joins the city.
The city would also be on the hook for nearly $1 million in road maintenance to keep up the rural roads that criss-cross Castaic, Burr said.
The annexation report measures the fiscal impact of absorbing any of the westside unincorporated communities into Santa Clarita.
The governance alternative report compares the fiscal impact of annexation of the westside to those communities with forming their own city or remaining in unincorporated Los Angeles County.
In November, residents on the westside will be asked to caste a non binding advisory vote on a of government - annexation by the city, forming their own city or remaining in the county unincorporated area.
During Burr's presentation on the fiscal feasibility of annexing part of the westside into Santa Clarita, she spent a lot of time on the issue of boundaries for the study area in the reports.
One town council member thought Burr's analysis stepped over the line.
"I thought it was very one-sided," said Vanessa Brookman, Castaic Town Council member. "I felt she gave her opinion more than she gave the facts. She kept saying if she was the city what she would do."
Burr spoke metaphorically when asked what she thought was the most fiscally prudent course for the city's future annexation plans.
"If I was the city I would be concerned with annexing low-density outlying areas," Burr said.
Robert Kelly, Castaic Town Council member, said Burr's constant reference to what she would do if she was the city also made for a one-sided presentation.
"She kept making references to what she would do if she was the city," Kelly said. "I thought it was one-sided."
Burr said her comments were made to inform residents of the things they should consider when casting their votes and not an effort to sway voters in either direction.
Kelly said Burr's comments won't swing the governance debate in favor of any side.
"There were very few people here tonight," he said.
The audience barely cracked 50 people for the event.
The debate on what type of government the people living in the westside unincorporated area will have continues with a second public meeting Thursday at Castaic Middle School at 6:30 p.m. The school is located at 28900 Hillcrest Parkway in Castaic.
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